The Prime Minister outlined six objectives regarding the social development of Russian villages. "We are talking about millions of our citizens. Forty million people live in rural areas. Normal living conditions are the main pre-requisite for the development of the countryside and for expanded agrarian production," the Prime Minister told participants in a meeting on the social development of rural areas.

First of all, the Prime Minister proposes launching the construction of affordable and modern housing in order to improve living conditions in rural areas. He said around 860,000 square metres of housing would be built in 2012. Over half of this will be allotted to young specialists.

Speaking of rural educational institutions, Mr Medvedev stressed that "they must be preserved, and restructured. They should not be merely reduced in a thoughtless and mechanical manner."

Mr Medvedev said modernising cultural facilities in the countryside was another task in hand. In fact, almost a third of them "are in an appalling state." In addition, the Prime Minister called for creating "decent conditions for sports" in the countryside.